A memorial to honor victims of the Aug. 31, 2019, mass shooting will be unveiled on this year’s fifth anniversary of the horrific event.
The event will start about 8 p.m. Aug. 29 at the Bright Star Memorial outdoor plaza off of Loop 338 (park next to the sports fields to access) on the campus of the University of Texas Permian Basin. The dedication will take place on the site.
Aug. 31 is the date of the shooting in which seven people were killed and 25 injured. The gunman, Seth Ator, who was traveling between Midland and Odessa during the mass shooting, was shot and killed by multiple law enforcement agencies as they made a final stand in a field near Cinergy Theatre.
Odessa Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Renee Earls said she thinks the memorial will be beautiful and can help heal the community. Having the piece at UTPB will enable it to be enjoyed by everyone.
“I do hope families will go over and take some time to read all of the words that are (inscribed) on the memorial. It’s hard to believe it was five years ago, coming up on that time, and I just hope that families will take some time and go look at that, and most importantly, remember those impacted,” Earls said.
Learn more at utpb.edu/give/brightstars
